I am currently in sunny Dubai in a gorgeous hotel which overlooks the beautiful, golden, sandy beach. But what am I doing?

I am having an argument with 2 of my children about holiday homework.

For the past 2 years, I have dreaded the summer holidays. Why?

At the end of every school year, one of my children comes home with a brown expandable A4 envelope with 6-7 weeks worth of ‘holiday homework’. It’s always a painful experience because they quite obviously would rather be doing something else. They want to play with their friends, play games on the computer. Put quite simply, they just want to be kids.

I don’t hate the concept of holiday homework, it’s just the agonizing ordeal of getting the children seated and focus on doing it.

I am actually in a fortunate situation. Because of my work, I can sit down and do the work with them, but it’s the actual process of trying to persuade them which is not fun.

How do you get them to focus when they can see the beach and tropical palm trees from their window?

I have to say that the work is beneficial for them to do. It actually keeps their skills sharpened over the holidays so that they don’t forget what they have learnt all year round.

However, the children see it as a chore. They don’t understand this.

What’s your view on this topic?

Do you think that holidays are just for fun vacations?

Or do you think that children need this homework to get ahead?

Personally, I don’t think that there is anything wrong with holiday homework, but I would be grateful for anyone who could show me how to do it without losing my sanity.

I’m off now! Back to the beach to recover. I will end the evening using one of my Jasmine Rose Bath Bombs. Because I deserve it!